Welcome to a simple lifestyle emphasizing a diet of whole plant foods and natural living.The principles of natural living address the cause of disease and health! I blog about plant based eating and other stuff. -Janis Hopper

Saturday, September 28, 2013

The 5K training is still going well. Yesterday, again, I ran and walked in intervals which included a total of 8 minutes running. Lucy sees to it that I get in a few extra running minutes because after I walk her up the road she takes off lickity-split back towards the house once we make the turn to come home. I run as fast as I can to keep from holding her back too much on the leash, but I can't keep up with her.

We had a good time yesterday going to garage sales and estate sales. We found a set of china, some Japanese tea sets, and a couple of books we can put in our E bay store. We found some items we can use, too....a blue fruit bowl for $6.00, three candles for the coffee table for $8.00, a decorative box for $5.00, a lawn chair for me to sit in the garage with Travis for $3.00, a pitchfork for $4.00, a large ball of twine for $2.00, a some free pencils.

I made a trip to Whole Foods in Little Rock yesterday and stocked up on sauerkraut, coconut water, almonds, dates, crackers, coconut oil, toothpaste, and chocolate/goji squares. I met my friend, Connie, at Olive Garden. I had the salad with no dressing and the vegetarian Minestrone soup.

There are some things it is good to know when you are helping your body detoxify and heal naturally...

When your body is healing it is not good to use oils on your salads. It is best to limit your oils to what you get from your avocados, coconuts, and nuts. Don't use commercial salad dressings. Dr. Fielder makes something he calls Green Lava. The recipe is not written in stone, but one version follows:

Green Lava

Make Green Lava in the Vita-Mix or other high-powered blender by blending tomatoes, celery, sauerkraut, and green leaves (such as romaine and/or parsley). Serve over your salad.

I like to make something similar that I call Blended Salad. You don't even have to make a salad, because you eat it with a spoon...like a soup. To serve two I use the following recipe:

Blended Salad

1 large tomato or 2 smaller tomatoes

1 cucumber, peeled

1 red bell pepper

Juice of one lemon or lime

2 Tbsp. Nutritional Yeast

- Blend in Vita-Mix until smooth

Add 6-8 stalks of chopped up celery and 1 head of romaine (from a 3 pack).

-Blend again until smooth.

Add 2 tsp flax seed.

-Quick blend to mix in the oil.

When you are detoxifying, the body uses different means of elimination. Bowel movements may be erratic, but it is no reason to be alarmed. Diarrhea and vomiting are common. You may experience headaches, rashes, and skin eruptions. These are all simple forms of elimination. Sometimes there might even be bleeding, but even this is not that unusual as a means of eliminating toxic poisons.

Deodorants and crystals that counteract body odor are suppressants. The only safe deodorant is good health, and good health comes from within. Soaps, perfumes, shampoos, and deodorants do not make us clean, because they leave a layer of chemicals that destroy our natural protective oils. The best way to clean the skin and hair is by brushing.

Right now, I us a mild natural shampoo bar every few days, but no conditioner. I don't use a deodorant anymore. Meat eating is a big contributor to body odor, and I hardly ever eat any meat. I use a fluoride-free toothpaste, and I use Ivory soap or one of the special natural soaps I buy from time to time in the shower.

Friday, September 27, 2013

Travis, Arthur and I went to Park Island for lunch yesterday. Park Island is an awesome little restaurant in Hot Springs, Arkansas, that serves organic, locally grown foods. Here is a link to a wonderful article about Joseph Sheridan and Armando Ortiz, the owners. Park Island Organic Produce and Cafe

As we left Park Island we noticed four large 300 gallon tanks which will be perfect for collecting rain water. They were asking $80.00 each for them. Later in the afternoon Travis returned to get one of them, but he ended up buying two and Joseph and Armando delivered them to the house for us. We talked about raw foods and about getting Dr. Fielder to possibly do a seminar at the cafe when he comes to Hot Springs next May. Joseph and Armando are nice folks.

You know, it really doesn't matter what your diagnosis is or even whether you have been given a diagnosis at all. In the practice of Nature Cure that is not important. Our focus is not on seeking a cure, but rather the focus is on bringing ourselves into harmony with the Laws of Nature and strengthening the organism.

The daily fast is possibly the best thing we can do for ourselves. The daily fast begins after the evening meal and ends at lunch time the following day. Even a laborer can do this because this fast does not weaken you. You will even feel more energetic because the digestion of food requires much energy. This conservation of energy enables more energy to go toward healing. This is good stewardship. The body is the Lord's temple which should be honored and kept clean. (I want to do better!)

One of the principles I mentioned yesterday was that we need to be squeaky clean if we wish to succeed. What does it mean to be squeaky clean? Here is how it was given to me by Dr. John Fielder when I so desperately needed to find a way to heal my sick body.

Eat the natural food diet of about 50% fruit, 35% vegetables, 10-20% starches, 5-10% concentrates, and a minimum amount of condiment foods. (Message me if you want a copy of this diet sheet.)

Stop all supplements and medications. Eat only raw foods. Drink only water.

Remove all forms of stress.

Pray positively. Expect healing and full recovery.

Be in the fresh air and sunshine everyday.

Exercise by walking every day if you are able.

If necessary to separate yourself from negative people and well-meaning friends and family that saddle you with fear, you may have to go someplace... like Dr. Fielder's Clohesy River Health Farm....or find a coach that will encourage you through the hard times. I was fortunate to have the support of my family when I decided to go this route, but everyone is not so lucky.

It helps tremendously to have a practitioner, coach or friend who has been through these things before you. It is normal and usual to experience weakness, headaches, aches and pains, dark urine, and a host of other symptoms as the body detoxifies and heals. Pain is part of healing. The body is healing the part of the body that is hurting. Our job is to stop adding anything that will interfere with the function of the body.

We also need to be aware of the things we put on our skin and hair. Cosmetics and perfumes are never good to use even when they are advertised as being natural. They are all processed. Beauty and health go together, and they come from within. At this time I am using some mineral eye makeup, mascara, and Burt's Bee's lip gloss. That may still be too much. I have again decided to stop putting toxic hair color on my head in order to color my hair.

Even seemingly innocuous remedies, such as salts or herbs, suppress our healing symptoms and interfere with the function of our magnificent bodies. They are not good to use.

Thursday, September 26, 2013

Diet and exercise are equally important in a healthy lifestyle. I have two new aps for the i-phone that I hope will help me include more exercise in my life, 5K Runner and Tai Chi. For some reason, I committed to run a 5K in November with my daughter, Molly, and grand-daughter, Ashlyn. Since I have never run a 5K in my life, this may be pushing my limits. We'll see how it goes. My training yesterday was 30 minutes walking and running combined in intervals. I ran a total of 8 minutes.

I took a Tai Chi class one time and enjoyed it, but the time constraints of going to a class don't work for me at this time. And besides, I never could remember the movements well enough to practice at home. The ap makes that part easy as it shows the postions and describes the movement while tranquil music plays in the background. Dr. Fielder also supports the use of Tai Chi as an exercise.

I have had some trouble dealing with anxiety and stress this year although I feel much better now. A healthy amount of stress is beneficial, of course, because it helps us perform at a higher level. But the stress becomes debilitating when it is too intense and constant. It uses up our inner resources and causes enervation. This type of stress can cause disease.

We are not designed to face more stress than we can bear. Eating the right foods certainly helps us withstand the stresses of life. Raw fruits, vegetables, seeds, and nuts are our best foods. Over-cooking foods depletes the minerals in the food. Exercise, also, is an important factor in dealing with stress. That's why I am working on exercising more by training for this 5K.

Drugs and stimulants sometimes appear to relieve stress, but in fact they are robbing us of our ability to deal with stress. Tobacco, alcohol, coffee, sugar, and drugs are not the best way to cope with the pressures of life. A better choice is recreation and a life with a balance of aerobic activity and intellectual and artistic endeavors.

I consider Natural Hygiene to be a practice. I want to avoid medical intervention as much as possible. The whole medical protocol is fear based, and they do scare the pants off you. I have decided that anyone that tries to put FEAR on me is not out for my good. There is a better way.

Here are some core principles in Natural Hygiene. I have heard Dr. Fielder repeat them to me many times.

Nature does not make mistakes. Only we make mistakes.

All action by our bodies is right action. We have been taught otherwise so sometimes it may appear the body is doing something that is hurting us, but this is not true. Even when we are doing things that are wrong, the body is using all its available power to make corrections.

We always feel worse before we feel better.

We have to trust the process.

It takes time for the body to heal. It can take weeks or months. We must keep the faith and persevere in doing right.